Herb Turkey Biscuit Pot Pie

Creamy Herb Biscuit Turkey Pot Pie, crafted with surplus turkey, in a mushroom, vegetable, and gravy robust turkey medley, will make you overlook that it’s remnants.

All That’s Delightful About A Pot Pie

A pot pie represents a warm, flavorful meal created by baking (or simmering) a robust filling, typically meat and vegetables enveloped in a rich gravy, within or beneath a pastry casing.

The casing can be on the base, the top, or both, and it’s designed to retain heat and taste, producing that unmistakable experience when the spoon breaks through delicate pastry into something profoundly gratifying.

What Defines A Pot Pie

At its essence, a pot pie revolves around equilibrium and sustenance:

• A protein – traditionally poultry, beef, or game; now frequently mushrooms or lentils as well.
• Vegetables – carrots, peas, onions, celery, roots, whatever the season presents.
• A sauce – broth, stock, or cream thickened just adequately to coat.
• Pastry – straightforward, robust, and intended to comfort rather than astonish, though it certainly can.

It’s less about exactness and more about utilizing what you possess, remnants, trimmings, and slow-cooked delicacies.

The History Behind The Pot Pie

Pot pies have historical origins. The concept of preparing food encased in dough goes back to ancient Greece (just consider my Spanakopita), where meats or vegetables were baked in open pastry shells. The Romans spread this concept across Europe, employing dough as a cooking vessel rather than something to be consumed.

By the Medieval period in England, these meals evolved into ‘coffins’ – thick, sturdy pastry shells designed to protect fillings and render them portable. The crust was frequently discarded or given to servants or animals, while the filling was the treasure within.

As baking methods advanced and flour became more obtainable, pastry softened and integrated into the meal. By the 18th and 19th centuries, pot pies emerged as a cherished home dish, particularly in Britain and subsequently in America, where settlers welcomed them as practical, filling meals suitable for lengthy winters and sizable families, something I savored while visiting my husband’s residence in London.

Turkey and Chicken Pot Pies In American Culinary Culture

In the United States, pot pie became strongly linked with:

• Home cooking – something we are rapidly losing in present-day American households.
• Sunday dinners – a tradition largely faded here in America.
• Revamping leftovers – now this is where we might rekindle interest in young families returning to the kitchen, particularly with the rising expense of food.

Chicken pot pie, notably, gained popularity post-World War II as convenient foods surfaced, yet its essence has always been rooted in the home kitchen, where it represents care, thrift, and warmth.

Every culture boasts its variant, whether it’s a French tourtière, a British meat pie, or a Mediterranean meat or vegetable pies, but the narrative remains the same: envelop something modest in dough, cook it slowly, and share it with those you cherish.

Turkey

Here in America, turkey always takes prominence in the month of November as nearly everyone, irrespective of their ethnic background, prepares a turkey for Thanksgiving. 

Turkey is a remarkable meat, not solely due to its substantial size for a bird, but because it provides ample variety for anyone who enjoys to…

eat fowl.

You can always count on having an abundance of leftover turkey, whether it’s light or dark meat.

What portion of the turkey do you prefer? It appears that those who favor the breast often snub the thigh, and vice versa.

But what happens when we talk about leftovers, you know, the cooked turkey that’s been stored in the fridge for a few days?

Leftover Turkey

Freshly roasted turkey is delightful, regardless of whether it’s dark or light meat, but typically the white meat can become dry quickly when it transitions into leftovers.

Well, not entirely; it can still be delicious in a sandwich with a spread of mayo (homemade mayo) and layered with tomatoes!

What about turkey throughout the year? I frequently buy a small turkey during winter and slow cook the entire bird in a large pot with plenty of herbs for broths, soups, and various other turkey meals I plan to prepare.

While roasting is the favored method of preparing turkey during the festive season, simmering the meat gently makes it so tender that it practically falls off the bone.

Stews, soups, pot pies, sandwiches, and a multitude of dishes can be created from one afternoon dedicated to cooking this turkey and portioning it into various servings for future meals.

One of my favorite recipes is a Mediterranean take I devised for this quintessential American bird: Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, featuring barley, nuts, and dried fruits.

Don’t forget to keep this recipe handy for the week following Thanksgiving!

Another recipe for leftover turkey that I adore is a variation of the Mac and Cheese Crab Rolls I developed on Food Network’s Clash of the Grandmas, but in this instance, it’s Mac and Cheese Turkey Rolls!

Turkey Pot Pie

Another one of my cherished dishes for leftover turkey, which is likely a favorite of yours as well, is a pot pie.

Everyone who prepares a pot pie has their unique preference regarding the type of pastry they like on top.

As for me, I tend to favor a pot pie crowned with numerous little herb biscuits.

When the fork penetrates, the steaming gravy, gently cooked vegetables, and turkey release their warmth and fragrance.

Cooking with Herbs

During the summer, I maintain a vast herb garden, from which I dry my herbs in the fall to savor them throughout the winter; however, by January, I often find I’ve given away a significant portion of my dried herb collection.

Let’s face facts about food—without an aromatic herb profile, many dishes would lack substantial flavor.

We depend on a variety, or perhaps specific herbs, to enhance the taste of what we cook.

Dried Herbs

If I need to buy dried herbs or a herb blend, it better be really good and possess the potency that I expect from my freshly dried herbs.

Naturally, a company that produces their spices in limited quantities and with care will be the optimal choice!

I had the privilege of meeting an exceptional individual who crafts the finest small batch herb blends I’ve ever encountered, and I would love to introduce you to him and the remarkable flavors he takes immense pride in creating:

Brian Leigh, referred to as B.T.Leigh. We engaged in the most extraordinary adventure, preparing for a television program that premiered in the summer of 2022, The Great American Recipe on PBS.

Herb Biscuits Enhance Everything

Biscuits? Did you mention you were placing biscuits atop your pot pie?

Certainly! I crafted the biscuits from the ground up, utilizing flour, baking powder, butter, buttermilk and Somethin to Cluck About spice mixture from B.T.Leigh’s.

Combining everything in the mixer, rolling the dough, and cutting out the small circles only required about 10 minutes, but was well worth the additional effort, rather than opting for a pre-made pastry.

Turkey Leftovers With Gravy

Given that I possessed abundant herb-infused stock from cooking the turkey, I quickly prepared a gravy for the pot pie.

The stock was already rich in flavor, requiring just a whisking of butter and flour in a heated pan, followed by the addition of the hot stock, whisking until a creamy gravy formed.

The Creation Of A Pot Pie

All the elements for a pot pie were arranged on the counter: turkey diced into cubes, mushrooms sliced, peas and freshly blanched carrots were prepared, hot gravy, and the biscuits shaped and poised for action.

All the ingredients intended for the pot pie were combined into a mixing bowl. A light sprinkling of Somethin To Cluck About is folded into the mixture, and each individual clay pot received a portion of the pot pie filling.

Biscuits are placed atop the filling, brushed with a touch of milk, and another dusting of Somethin To Cluck About is added on top before they go into the oven. In 20-25 minutes, a delectable dish is ready for serving!

Ingredients Required

This herb turkey biscuit pot pie commences, as the finest meals often do, with leftovers revitalized.

• Cooked turkey, already tender and infused with memories, serves as the focal point of the meal, incorporated into a savory filling that is both well-known and subtly distinctive.
• Carrots, peas, mushrooms, and potatoes contribute color, texture, and nourishment. The carrots add a hint of sweetness, peas offer little explosions of green freshness, mushrooms provide depth and earthiness, while potatoes anchor the pie with comfort and substance. Together, they transform basic pantry items into something profoundly satisfying.
• A gentle poultry spice mixture, alongside just the right amount of salt, infuses the filling with warmth and herbal notes that reflect traditional holiday tastes without overwhelming the dish. Turkey stock, enriched from the bones or lovingly saved from the previous meal, constitutes the base of the sauce, interweaving everything with complexity and richness.
• Butter and flour unite to form a soft, silky gravy that hugs each ingredient rather than suffocating it, letting the turkey and vegetables take center stage.
• In place of a conventional pastry crust, this pot pie is topped with buttermilk biscuits. Crafted from flour, baking powder, butter, and tangy buttermilk, the biscuits emerge golden and tender, absorbing just enough of the savory sauce below while remaining fluffy on top. They elevate the pot pie into something rustic and generous—designed to be scooped, shared, and savored slowly.

Equipment Required

The tools needed for this herb turkey biscuit pot pie are straightforward and familiar, comprising items that encourage you to take your time and cook purposefully.

• A stock pot with a lid provides ample space to heat the turkey stock and gently simmer the filling, permitting flavors to meld without hurry. A smaller saucepan is ideal for preparing the buttery roux, where flour and butter combine before evolving into a silky gravy.
• A robust cutting board and a sharp chopping knife are vital for processing the vegetables, those quiet, rhythmic moments of slicing carrots and chopping mushrooms,
• and cubing spuds that establish the atmosphere for the meal.
• For the biscuits, a spacious mixing bowl accommodates the flour, baking powder, butter, and buttermilk as they are fused with a gentle touch. A rolling pin assists in softly molding the dough, while a biscuit cutter (or press) produces consistent rounds that bake uniformly and appear particularly charming atop the filling.
• Measuring cups and spoons keep all components equal, while a whisk guarantees the gravy remains velvety and free of lumps. A slotted spoon simplifies the task of lifting vegetables and turkey from the pot without dragging along too much liquid, ensuring the filling is just right.
• The pot pie assembles exquisitely in personal crock bowls, the type with handles that seem designed for comfort food. They’re simple to serve, easy to hold, and transform a basic meal into something intimate.
• A basting brush aids in buttering the tops of the biscuits, promoting a golden finish, while the stovetop or burner and oven collaborate, transitioning the dish from simmer to bake, enveloping the kitchen in that unmistakable, cozy scent that indicates something hearty is en route to the table.